One More Soul to the Call
by CrypticArcadia
Summary: <html><head></head>Vivienne was aware of the hardships that she'd face prior to becoming a State Alchemist. But when her nightmarish delusions prove to be more than they seem, Vivienne discovers dark secrets hidden within her past that threaten the future of Amestris. Ed/OC</html>
1. 00: Departure

**Vivienne Eden hails from the icy North City, where she grew up, and lives contently with her father Harry. In hopes of providing her father with the essentials that he needs to survive, Vivienne spent the majority of her life studying the art of Alchemy, with the aspiration of becoming a State Alchemist in the near future. The time has come for her to depart North City, all that she has ever known, so that she may participate in the State Alchemy exam. Aware of the hardships that await her in due time.**

* * *

><p><em>*I've edited this a little. If you're reading for a second time, you may come across some slightly different dialogue and add-ins. But none of it drastically conflicts with the original storyline, so it's not much to worry about. Enjoy!<em>

**One More Soul to the Call**

_00:_

Departure

It wasn't until the obnoxious blaring of a whistling train sprinted past the window that I'd realized I had fallen asleep. I came to slowly, fluttering open my eyes and steadily lifting my head from the table, Yawning, I looked over to the window and watched the shadow of the coursing train move past the closed curtains, and then observed the area around me, regaining recollection of where I was.

'Oh yeah… that's right.' I thought to myself, pressing my palms against the coffee table for support as I stood to my feet. After gaining my composure, I grabbed the dangling locket hanging from my throat and placed it back under my shirt. I had been out running errands for Dad today, and had fallen asleep in the restaurant that I had went to for lunch. Ahhh, he's probably worried sick about me. I had to be asleep for a good 3 hours or so. It was already dawn from what the clock hanging on the wall read.

"Uhmm, excuse me Mrs. Madison?" I asked, approaching the counter. She was busy wiping it down with a rag. Looking up at me, the brown-eyed waitress smiled warmly.

"Hey there Vivienne, dear. Oh, sorry about not waking you. You just seemed so worn down, I didn't want to bother you." she said in her thick country accent. I shook my head, beginning to step into a pace.

"Oh, no, that's okay," I insisted, "I just think Dad might be worried about me since I've been out for awhile."

"Ahh, I see. Oh, by the by, good luck on the State Alchemy Exam! You're headed out tomorrow morning, right?" Mrs. Madison asked. I chuckled and scratched the back of my head.

"Thanks! Yep, I'm all packed and ready to head out to Central."

"You aren't nervous?" She questioned curiously.

"Of course," I replied truthfully, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't. After all, there _are _going to be multiple other Alchemists there who are probably a whole lot more talented, and a whole lot more experienced than I am."

I crossed my arms ambitiously, bringing my pacing to a halt.

"But I dunno, even so, I'm confident that I'll pass. You can count on it."

Mrs. Madision laughed, ringing out the worn, dingy rag into the sink. The countertop was spotless.

"There isn't any doubt in my mind that you'll own those exams. You'll do great, you don't have any choice but to!"

I smiled widely and let out a few amused chuckles.

"Ahah! Isn't that the truth? Thanks for the extra boost, Mrs. Madison!"

"Anytime, dear."

Just then, I face-palmed, remembering what I had meant to ask in the first place.

"Arghh, before I forget, may I use the phone?"

"Why, sure you can." Mrs. Madison replied, her smile broadening. As did mine.

"Thank you." I responded, bowing. She nodded. With that, I walked to the front of the joint where the entrance was, picked up the phone, and dialed home. After a few dial tones, I heard Dad's jovial voice greet me. My face immediately brightened.

"Hey Dad, it's me… Yeah, sorry I didn't call sooner. I fell asleep at the Burger Joint. You know, the one near the train station? Yeah. So I'm fine… Yep- Oh! I forgot to get that thing you asked for…. Mmkay. Sorry about that….. Alright, I'll be back in a few…. -chuckle- Love you too, Dad. Bye."

While I put down the phone, I felt that weird paranoid sensation that someone was watching me. I peered around, and soon came eye to eye with a strange elderly man sitting at a booth in a far corner of the restaurant. He wore a long brown coat and had grungy grey facial hair. His skin was worn and aged, and on his head sat a cheap grey hat. And I just know there has to be a bald spot under there somewhere.

Feeling extremely uncomfortable and creeped, I shrugged my arms up at him. He shook his head at me, and my eyebrow twitched. Yeah, I'm totally outta here.

I said my goodbyes to Mrs. Madison as I stormed my way out the door. Immediately, I was once again greeted by the familiar glacial Northern breeze, snowflakes sprinkling about. I shoved my hands into my pockets and huffed.

"To hell with this ridiculous sub-zero climate." I muttered to myself. In my entire life of living in North City, I swear I've rarely ever seen the Sun. As a little girl, it took me awhile to realize that the Sun even existed. It's always so icy here.

A few moments after I had fled from the Burger Joint, I heard the door open again. And the next thing you know, none other than the potential pedophile that I'd encountered not even 5 minutes ago was trailing after me. Ugh, just great, I really didn't feel like dealing with any idiot perverts today. I accelerated my pace, and began to weave my way through the crowds of people.

"Vivienne! I need to speak with you." he called. I stopped in my tracks, bewildered. This guy really _is_ a creeper. How the hell does he know my name?

"My name is Douglas Patrick. I'm a detective." he introduced. I glanced around at him through squinted eyes. I was becoming quite skeptical of this man.

"A detective. _Really_? Well, nice chatting with you." Was my response, laced with sarcasm. I turned on my heel and began storming off again.

"Hold on!"

Quite the persistent old freak, he is. I rolled my eyes, decelerating my pace.

"There's someone who wants to meet you. Just let me have an hour. No- half an hour of your time."

I sighed, turning to face him again.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't have anymore hours or half-hours to spare. Besides, my Daddy always told me not. To talk. To strangers." I nodded my head at him with each pause.

"This is very important. It's about your birth."

"I'm already fully aware of the reproduction cycle, thank you. I'm not interested." Once again, I continued on my way, aware of the creep's footsteps desperately trailing behind me.

'I need to find a way to lose this guy. I really don't wanna have to knock him out.' I thought, irritated. A vein pulsed violently atop my forehead.

Just up ahead, there was a public bathroom. I made my way over to it. When I still felt the undercover rapist's presence behind me, I snapped, and whipped around to face him.

"Are you _still_ following me? Do I have to _scream_?" I yelled. The peculiar old man automatically threw up his palms in defense.

"Ah, sorry! I'll wait here." he replied.

My brow twitched again at that remark. At that, I willingly made my way into the diseased public restroom, eager to abscond from his presence. I sighed in relief when the door closed behind me.

It was just another one of those typical restrooms with multiple unsanitary stalls. The usual. I walked over to the sink and ran the water, which was surprisingly crystal clear. I cupped my hands and let the refreshing liquid fill my palms, then I splashed it onto my face. The coolness temporarily relieved me of my frustrated state.

"Nice going _smart one_. Now you're trapped, that creep is waiting for you outside." I said to myself.

"If I weren't so nice he'd be breathing through a tube by now."

Looking up at the mirror, I was stunned as I was met by a strange glowing red symbol that hadn't been there prior to my arrival. It eerily seemed to float among the mirror's surface.

A strange, eerie language of writing was subscribed onto the circle's edges, and an unsettling illustration of an eye sat upon its apex. Various other undecipherable symbols and lettering lie within the circle. It was unlike any alchemical image that I'd seen before. Yet... in an unnerving way, it seemed familiar.

"A transmutation circle? …. No, this isn't alchemy…. Where have I seen this before?" I thought deep and hard, but I couldn't seem to remember where I've seen this outlandish image. And pondering about it was giving me a ridiculous headache. I closed my eyes and pressed my palm to my forehead, trying to soothe the twinge that filled it. When the pain faded, I opened my eyes and reverted my attention to the mirror- but the symbol had vanished.

I sighed deeply.

"Ergh, my head is screwing with me again. Guess it wasn't really there… Maybe the side effects of my medication is starting to settle." I said to myself, cupping my forehead into my palm once more.

But… why did it seem so familiar? And why did it give me such an odd, dark feeling?

'Whatever, just forget about it Vivienne. You need to get home, and this counterfeit detective off your back.' At that thought I shook it off and began to focus on my escape.

After observing the monstrosity of a bathroom, my eyes were happily met by a window just my size. I fist-pumped in my discovery of the escape route, once again met by an impression of relief.

I gladly jogged over to it, unbolted it, and pushed it wide open, then leaping outward and landing onto the snow-coated ground. I ended up in an alleyway that was just as medically unpleasant as the bathroom was, and was able to make my way home from there.

* * *

><p>Our home was a simple, but cozy little 2-story house in the heart of North City. I've lived here since I was little, this is the home that I'd grown up in. Smiling to myself as pleasant memories came back to me, I fished my key out of my coat pocket and unlocked the door.<p>

"Daaad!" I called through the house, closing and locking the front door behind me. "I'm home!"

I heard footsteps echo as I took off my coat and hung it on one of the hooks on the rack near the door. The house smelt of freshly cooked spaghetti and garlic bread. I practically melted from the delectable scent.

"Welcome home, Viv." my Dad said as he emerged from around the corner with his arms outstretched toward me. He still looked exactly the same after all of these years. His silky black hair, now becoming grey-tinged, just brushed his shoulders. His wise caramel eyes were lively and youthful, and distinctive laugh lines coursed around his mouth. Dad didn't have any facial hair. He repeatedly shaved it off, always commenting on how it made him feel like some sort of animal at the Zoo, in which I laughed at him each time he expressed his thoughts on the matter. I happily flew into his embrace. I love my father dearly. If he weren't here, I'd be nothing.

We stood there in hug-position for what seemed like hours, I taking in his familiar herbal scent, until he laughed awkwardly and broke the embrace.

"Sorry. It kind of just hit me that this is your last day back home for awhile." he said. I frowned and crossed my arms.

"Daaad. Stop acting all sad! This is a good thing! If I become a State Alchemist, then all of the problems that we've been dealing with for years will be solved! You do realize how much they get paid, right?" He laughed a little and pet my head.

"Yes, I understand. It's just…. I'm just still not completely comfortable with my only daughter being put in harm's way. And just for wealth? It just doesn't seem worth it if something were to happen to you."

"Ah, come on! Have more faith in your daughter! I can handle anything that comes at me and you know it. How else would I have been able to deal with my... condition for this long and still be sane?" I reasoned confidently. He laughed again.

"You're right. You're a strong, talented girl. I see you going far in life. But for now, let's eat dinner. I'm starving!" He changed the subject, knowing that I was mindset on this and that there was no way that he was going to talk me out of it. This'd be a great thing for both of us. Dad'll get his finances straight. And I'll be doing what I've always loved, helping people in need.

"You're telling me! Let's eat!" I exclaimed happily, prancing into the kitchen and stacking my plate with a crapload of the saucy noodles, and stuffing a huge piece of garlic bread into my mouth, for there had been no more room left on my plate. What? A girl's gotta eat!

When Dad and I had gotten to the table with our plates, I looked at him and said,

"Ya know, I'm surprised that you didn't burn the house down while cooking all of this." I said with a cocky smirk on my face. I was always the lead chef of the house, seeing that Dad was always pretty uncoordinated in the kitchen. He chuckled at himself.

"Same here, kid."

And with that we delightfully gorged ourselves, enjoying each other's company as we always did and trying to make the best of it, seeing as this was the last dinner we'd have with each other for a long time.

* * *

><p>That night, I was free of my hallucinogenic nightmares. I sat up in my bed, looking out at the celestial twinkling of the night sky. Our cat, Milly, sat at my side, nuzzling into me and mewing occasionally as I grazed my fingertips across her velvety black fur. Her curious emerald eyes wondered about inquisitively at the various nocturnal creatures that periodically swooped past my window. I thought about everything as I listened to the owls converse. My childhood, my disorder, my years of Alchemy training, my Martial Arts teacher, the kind people of North City, and my father. So many memories lie in this city: My home.<p>

I wonder… if anything will change at all without me around. How is everyone going to react when I board that train tomorrow…. And how am I myself going to feel? What new adventures and discoveries will my new life as a State Alchemist bring me? What kinds of new people I meet there? And…. What difficult hardships and duties will await me in the near future? Everything is going to change drastically. Soon, I'll just be another Dog of the State through the eyes of many of the citizens of Amestris. I knew that many of the inhabitants of the city felt this way, but most of them supported me nonetheless. I appreciate this. And though, unlike many of the soldiers of the Military, I will not sell my soul to them.

I know for a fact that none of this is going to be a walk in the park. And I also know for a fact that I am going to pass this exam. This is my calling. I don't see myself anywhere else in life right now rather than being a State Alchemist. With every duty, …..I'll be putting my life on the line. So be it. I won't allow myself to die. Besides, if I did, then…. Who would look out for my father?

After awhile of thinking like this, a familiar canopy of weariness came over me, making my eyelids feel heavy. I was defenseless against my exhaustion, and fell prey into one of the most peaceful sleeps that I'd had in quite some time.

_Brrring! Brrring! Brrrrrriinggg!_

This was supposedly the sound of my alarm clock ringing. Except, this isn't what I hear. In my head, it translates into:

_Hey, you! Idiot! Can you hear me ringing? I'm your alarm clock! I specialize in annoying the hell out of you every morning! Are you annoyed yet? Get your ass out of bed, or I'll just keep taunting you! _

Alarm clocks are evil. They should all be destroyed.

…. And destroy was exactly what I did to that alarm clock that has psychologically insulted me every single morning for years. A fair payback, I'd say.

Anyway~ today is the day. The day that I head out to Central. I almost couldn't believe this day had finally come. I'm excited, although quite nervous as well. After disposing of the remains of the alarm clock that I'd massacred instinctivly, I went back upstairs and performed my everyday morning routine, which usually took about 40 minutes.

By the time I'd gotten ready, I'd realized that Dad had cooked breakfast for me! The smell of slightly burnt pancakes and bacon filled the air, though the aroma was still quite delectable. I rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Dad was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee, looking out the window like he always did. I smirked.

"Well well, it seems you've succeeded in not destroying the kitchen twice in a row! What an accomplishment, I'm so proud of you! Maybe I won't have to worry too much about you starving to death anymore." I said with my hands on my hips. He turned to look at me, chuckling.

"Is a simple 'Good morning Dad, thanks for risking your life to cook breakfast' too much to ask? Give your old man some credit." he said. I smiled widely.

"Thank you for cooking breakfast, Dad!" I exclaimed, once again rushing into the kitchen and grabbing the plate of food that was waiting for me.

"You're welcome, kiddo. Hurry up and eat, your train should be here in about an hour." he added.

After I ate, we headed out to the train station. It was a long walk from the house to the station. Yeah, my Dad was quite the modest one. He didn't own a car. Sure, he could drive if he wanted to, but he found that automobiles were unneccesary.

"Why drive when you can walk," he'd say, "My body may not be the same as it was 10 years ago, but I still have two strong legs that I'm not afraid to use."

He felt that his legs would surely weaken quicker if he didn't keep in shape, and he often expressed that he was lucky to still have them. So when he needed to go out, he either walked or rode his bike.

He never took anything for granted.

I held my suitcase tightly, anxious to be on my way. Dad proudly walked beside me. I could tell that he was still uncertain, but he still supports me all the way. I think I should thank him for that before I board the train. Speaking of that, there was someone else that I needed to thank.

"Dad, before we go any further, can we go to Master Jann Lee's house? I need to thank him for training me." I asked him. My Dad looked down at me.

"Sure thing."

Jann Lee, an elderly Xingese man who lives here in North City, is the one who trained me in Martial Arts. Everything I know about combat, I learned from him.

When we reached his home, I knocked on his door and waited for him to answer. Dad still stood in the road, wanting to let me speak to my Master privately. His door opened, and he emerged, his long black grey-tinted hair swaying slightly when it was met by the chilly breeze. His intellectual eyes met mine, his demeanor was non-expectant and curious.

"Hello, my pupil. What brings you to my home?" He asked. I smiled and bowed to him.

"Hello Master. I just came to once again say thank you for training me. I'm departing for Central today and wanted to come say goodbye." I explained.

"Well then, I wish you good luck on your travels, young one. Do not forget the things that I have taught you."

"Of course, Master. I will not shame you. Take care of yourself."

"You as well, my pupil. May the Maker guide you." And with that he smiled and closed his door. I made my way back to Dad. Master was never the sociable one. He mostly preferred to keep to himself. He drank tea and meditated in his spare time, when he wasn't training me.

"Alrighty then! Let's get going."

When we got to the train station I gave the woman at the entrance my ticket and was shocked to see that it was jam-packed with people! It had to be half the town!

Suddenly, Dad walked up ahead of me and yelled,

"Everyone! We're here!"

Just then, everyone in the crowd turned around to face me, and then scurried over, surrounding my Dad and I. I recognized every face in the crowd. These were the faces of people that I'd helped over the years.

"W-what's going on?" I asked, confused as to why everyone was here waiting for me.

"We came to wish you luck on your exam!" said a little boy named Christopher, clinging onto the hem of his mother's dress.

"And to thank you for everything you've done for us while you were here." added in an elderly woman named Helen.

"Wow, um… I don't know what to say…" I was in awe. All of these people… they took the time out of their lives just to come and see me out?

"We're all going to miss you very much!" called out a girl from farther back into the crowd.

"Thank you for saving my cat!"

"And for pulling me out of the way of that truck! Turns out the idiot was drunk."

"Thanks for helping me find my sister!"

"And don't forget how you helped us patch up our ceiling after the damage that snowstorm caused!"

"Oh yeah, I remember that! She helped us fix our roof, too!"

And soon the entire crowd of the citizens of North City were all thanking me at once. It was overwhelming, and almost had me a little teary-eyed. I smiled widely, shouting out 'You're welcome!'s and 'Anytime!'s with each of their remarks.

"We can't thank you enough, Vivienne." said a boy named Frankie that I used to work with at the convenience store. I laughed.

"Thanks everyone, really. I really appreciate the fact that you all took the time out of your lives just to come and thank me before I left. You guys are great. And-" I turned to face my Dad.

"Thank you so much for everything you've done for me, Dad. Thanks for supporting me. Without your encouragement, I probably wouldn't have been able to do all of this. So, thanks. I love you!" I said to him, giving him one last big hug. Multiple 'Awwws' sounded from the crowd, causing me to flush and let go of my father.

"Of course, Vivienne. I love you too. Have a safe journey, and own that exam!" he exclaimed happily, pumping his fist into the air. The citizens around me cheered delightedly. I was starting to feel a little embarrassed. This was extremely cheesy!

"Heh, don't worry about that. You know I will." I replied, scratching the back of my head.

Just then, we heard a train pulling into the station, whistling away.

"_The train bound to Central will depart in five minutes._" The voice of a woman announced over an intercom. I smiled and looked back to everyone.

"Well, I'd better go. See ya, and thanks again everyone!" I waved to everyone as I ran towards the train. They all yelled their goodbyes as I ran. When I'd boarded the train and took a seat, I opened the window and yelled,

"DAD! I PROMISE EVERYTHING WILL BE BETTER FOR YOU VERY SOON! TAKE CARE!"

He simply waved in response, along with the other citizens. I smiled and sat down in my seat, smiling at everyone as they continued to say their goodbyes. And then, just as the train, began to take off, I remembered something. Quickly, I leaned out of the window and shouted,

"AND DAD! IF A WEIRD OLD PERVERT WITH A CHEAP GREY HAT AND A LONG BROWN COAT SHOWS UP AT THE DOOR, PLEASE _**DO NOT ANSWER IT**_!"

I heard him laugh.

"SURE THING! GOODBYE!" he yelled back at me.

I stayed there, looking back at Dad and the city-folk until them, and the entire town of North City had dropped under the horizon line. Sitting back in my seat, I watched as the scenery went by.

'It's weird…' I thought to myself. 'North City is all that I have ever known…. I wonder what It'll be like, out here in the big wide world. It's so unfamiliar to me.'

I took my locket from under my shirt and gripped it in my hand. Dad had given this to me when I was 5 years old.

From here, there is no place to go but forward.

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><p><strong>Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed.<strong>

**Any constructive criticism is welcome! Anything that can help me become a better writer is greatly appreciated.**

**The events of this story are actually going to be inspired by Silent Hill 3. Though it's not exactly a crossover.**

_Fullmetal Alchemist © Hiromu Arakawa_

_Silent Hill © Konami & Keiichiro Toyama_


	2. 01: Isaac the Freezer

Hey kids! First of all, I'm sorry that it practically took me an eternity to update this. But, Chapter One is out now, and don't worry, I _do_ intend to finish this story. Please enjoy! Constructive criticism is welcome. Thanks.

**One More Soul to the Call**

_01:_

Isaac the Freezer

_Tone…_

_Tone…_

_*click*_

"Eden residence." Rang the cheerful voice of my father, Harry, through the other end of the phone. I faintly loosened my grip on the neck of the telephone when my ears were greeted by his soothing tone of voice. It was revitalizing to chat with Dad now and then, especially within this demanding environment. And though it was comforting, however, I still find that speaking with my father long-distance is a little unsettling. I 'm still not quite accustomed to being away from his side.

"Hey, Dad." I retorted softly, listening to the telephone booth rattle as the gentle wind collided with the glass. He chuckled slightly, and broke out into conversation immediately. We spoke of miscellaneous subjects. The weather, Central, food, the folks back home in North City, etc. Our discussions always bounced around erratically. We never really stuck to a solid topic unless it was a serious matter. We did this every week, once a week. It had become routine for us ever since I'd become a State Alchemist a few months ago.

Yeah, that's right. I, Vivienne Eden, have now become an infamous Dog of the State. I'd completed 5 tasks so far. 3 minor, and 2 a little more critical. In my free time I'd do a little research, train, and just see what I could do to help out around the community. East City was quite boring and uneventful when there weren't any assignments that I had to attend to. I'm now convinced that boredom is one of the greatest tortures. If I were to imagine Hell, it'd be a place where you were incessantly bored stiff. But anyhow, I'm quite fond of the cozy, warm weather here. I actually had to transmute a thinner coat in order to adjust. I've also switched from a long-sleeved shirt to a black tank top, and from a long, thick pair of jeans to a comfortable pair of black shorts. My boots are also less ridiculous.

At any rate, what really matters is that my Father has been able to do so much better now that my new job has been providing the both of us with more money than we know what to do with. I always cut my father 60% of the profits, and keep the other 40% for myself. Sure, I could've split it 50/50, but I refused to do so, always putting my Dad first and making sure that he was supported. Originally, I'd planned on giving him 80% of the profits, but he stubbornly talked me down to 60%, still more concerned about me than he was about himself.

Before long, I realized that I'd spaced out when I heard my Dad's voice repeatedly calling my name.

"Ah, sorry Dad. I got lost in thought." I replied, chuckling and scratching the back of my head with my free hand. "… You were saying?"

He laughed comically. I imagined that he was shaking his head at me on the other end.

"You always have been pretty scatterbrained." he remarked ironically, commencing in poking fun at my absent mind. I just rolled my eyes playfully, giggling as I listened to him lark about. Until he cleared his throat and his tone became suddenly stern. "Vivienne, you took your meds this morning. Right?" My body went rigid.

_No._

"Y-yeah, I sure did. First thing this morning! Hahaha…" I spoke nervously, scratching the back of my head. In truth, I'd totally forgotten. It completely slipped my mind. Dad sighed on the other end.

"Vivienne we've been through this. You know that not taking your medication doesn't exactly benefit your condition, right?"

"Yeah. I know, but…" I trailed off.

"But…?" he beckoned me to continue.

"I told you before… the meds aren't as effective as they used to be. Sure, they somewhat prevent me from hallucinating during the day and everything, but…"

He let out a distressed sigh.

"I know. Just… keep taking them, Vivienne. I can talk to Doctor Kenneth about prescribing you with a stronger pill. But for now, try to cope with it, alright? If possible, I'll send them to you as soon as I can."

"Okay Dad. Thanks."

His end of the line was silent for a few minutes. I blinked and brought my other hand onto the neck of the phone, worried.

"Dad…? You there?"

"…"

"Dad. Stop that. You don't have to worry so much. I'm fine, okay?"

Again, silence.

"…How can I not worry about you, Vivienne…?" his troubled voice suddenly sounded. I closed my eyes, sighing and pressing my forehead against the glass of the booth.

"Dad…"

* * *

><p>I set the phone back down onto the receiver, sighing as I exited the phone booth and reluctantly treading my way back to Central Command. I was beginning to grow quite tired of worrying my father so much. If I only had the strength to overcome this dreadful condition, then he wouldn't <em>have <em>to fret…. I shook my head rapidly before taking a deep breath and continuing to push forward, absconding from my negative thoughts. The day had been quite uneventful. Not to mention that most of the soldiers that I'd befriended were either too busy to chat or had urgent matters to attend to. Hence, leaving poor little me stranded with no one to pester for the day.

Momentarily, after I'd arrived back to Central Command, I'd come into contact with Riza Hawkeye, Colonel Roy Mustang's right-hand woman. I really liked Hawk and her laid-back personality. She also seemed to be pretty dedicated to Roy and her role as a soldier, another quality that I admired. Hawk had been pretty gracious, yet straight-forward to me when I'd first arrived here and passed the State Alchemy Exam, reminding me of the path that I'd taken and the hardships that were to come. Additionally, I still remember the answer to a question that I'd asked her concerning her outlook on war.

"_Though I may be a soldier by profession, I've never had a liking for warfare, like others that I have come across in the past. Nor have I advocated it, except as a means of amity." _she had said to me. Since then, I'd been pondering the true meaning of what amity- what peace- really was.

"Hello there, Hawk." I greeted as she approached me with a kindly smile. Her facial expression was content and tranquil, and her demeanor exhibited a persona of great poise, as always.

"Ah, there you are. I was just looking for you. The Colonel needs you in his office right away, Vivienne." she informed.

"Heh, right away, huh? Well, I guess I can't refuse." I said with a grin. She nodded.

"I'll escort you."

"Right."

Roy's office just happened to be all the way on the other side of Central Command, so Hawk and I had a long walk ahead of us. The halls were pretty much empty, with the occasional soldier here and there. Some greeted us as we passed, others were too pre-occupied with their assignments to even notice our presence. I listened quietly as our footsteps echoed rather loudly as we pressed onward, only halfway through to Roy's office. My hands were idly shoved into my coat pockets.

"Say, Hawk?" I finally broke the silence.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember that talk we had about war? And what you said about war being a necessary means of attaining peace?"

"Yes. What about it?"

"Well, I've been thinking… and I've come to think that's not entirely the case…." I paused, thinking of a way to word my thoughts pointedly.

"Go on." she insisted, looking back at me over her shoulder with curious russet irises.

"I don't think that peace is specifically an absence of war or conflict. I think that peace has more to do with having the ability to cope with it."

Hawk continued to look back at me for a few more moments before nodding and looking ahead. She was silent as we continued. As was I, having nothing more to say.

Finally we'd reached the office, much to my relief. Dude, that was a ridiculous walk. Just when I was about to thank Hawk for the escort, the two of us turned to the door, having heard some rowdy commotion coming from the inside.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. We don't have time for this! Let's go, Al." said a boy's voice. Next thing you know, my face was rudely met by the door, and I was on the floor clutching my throbbing nose in my palm.

_What did I do to deserve this? _I thought, wincing. Hawk was kneeling by my side within seconds.

"Vivienne! Are you alright?" she asked, helping me sit up.

"Y-yeah…. Yeah. Just having some facial trauma, that's all."

Looking up, I saw a blonde-haired boy running down the hall in the opposite direction. The Flamel Crest was subscribed onto the back of his flowing crimson coat.

Suddenly, a suit of armor appeared from Mustang's room and stood in front of me, shouting after the boy.

"Brother," he yelled, "you shouldn't run off like that!"

There was an unnatural hollow tone to his voice that made me curious. I looked up at the boy in the armor.

"Ya know, you should tell your brother that it's not exactly polite to assault innocent young females with doors." I said, still gripping onto my injured nose. He seemed startled by my sudden remark, and quickly twirled around to face Riza and I.

"Ah, I'm so sorry about that miss! Are you alright?" he asked, concerned as he kneeled down in front of me.

"Oh, yeah. It's okay. I like nose blood." I sniffed and brought my palm down away from my nose, revealing the swelling that I was pretty sure that commenced as I spoke.

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Oh! My name is Alphonse. Alphonse Elric."

My eyes slightly widened.

"Elric? Would you happen to be the Fullmetal Alchemist's younger brother?"

"Yeah, that's right."

I put two and two together, and deadpanned at my conclusion.

_I just got owned by the Fullmetal Alchemist. _I thought. _Not that he isn't going to pay for it, though._

I'd heard a lot about the guy- Edward Elric. People around here can barely stop talking about him. The 'Hero of the People' is what they'd call him. I have to say, It's pretty beneficial to have people like that around. Especially in this Military setting. Some of the soldiers around here can get so caught up in their aggressive work, dealing with criminals and murderers and such all the time. I think the optimistic rumors about Fullmetal really does them some good.

"Uhm…. Miss?" I heard Alphonse calling, waving his hand in front of my face, "Are you okay?"

I blinked and shook my head.

"Huh? O-oh, yeah. I'm good. My name is Vivienne Eden, by the way." I replied. "I'm the Atomic Alchemist. It's very nice to meet you."

He gasped.

"You're the Atomic Alchemist? Wow, it's such an honor to meet you," he grabbed my hand in a frantic handshake, "We've heard so many things about you."

I chuckled bashfully, but simultaneously, I was alarmed. Alphonse's hand held no weight….. Was I shaking the hand of an empty suit of armor. I said nothing as I let his hand go.

"AL!" I heard who I assumed was Edward scream from down the hall.

Alphonse let out a soft, nervous shriek, and scratched the back of his helmet.

"Ah, well I'd better get going. It was nice to meet you, Vivienne."

I nodded, as he waved at me and sprinted down the hall. I waved back, and stood to my feet, with Hawkeye's assistance. We made our way into Roy's office, where he sat at his desk, waiting patiently. When he looked up at me, he automatically smirked and let out one of his sarcastic chuckles. I rolled my eyes as I sat down onto the couch. Riza made her way over to her usual spot aside his desk with her hands behind her back.

"That's quite a shiner you've got there."

"Ah, shut up. What was that all about, anyway?" I scoffed.

"Ah, that," he began, getting out of his seat and stepping over to the window, "I was just beginning to brief Fullmetal on his next assignment," he said. "I was waiting for you to get here, so I could brief the both of you at the same time. And maybe have introduced you in a more pleasant fashion…"

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"You're saying that you were going to partner me up with him? What for?" I inquired.

He shrugged.

"I'd figured the both of you would be a decent pair. Just for this one assignment, though. It's not like I was going to make you his sidekick or anything like that."

"Psh, _he'd _be the sidekick. Not me."

I frowned, my nostrils stinging with each intake of oxygen. Roy chuckled at my remark.

"Anyway," I began, "I've never really taken working with a partner into consideration. I'm more of a solo kind of girl."

He just stared at me, his smirk widening. I rolled my eyes again and turned away.

"Fine, if I find the kid I'll work with him. Whatever." _And in the process, I'll get my revenge._

"Just get to the briefing already."

* * *

><p><em>Hmmm…. <em>

I thought, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with the skills of a traceur, monitoring the streets and alleyways beneath me.

'_Isaac the Freezer'_….

My orders were to assist in apprehending Isaac McDougal, the Freezing Alchemist. He'd been a former State Alchemist, who'd served in the Ishvalan War of Extermination. After the war, he automatically resigned his commission and went into hiding, and he's been working with the Anti-Establishment Movement ever since then. Mustang made it clear that bringing this guy in is of major importance.

I slowed my pace and came to a halt, placing my hands on my hips as I squinted, looking over the streets of the town as I stood on the edge of the rooftop. I let my eyelids relax once I saw that it was clear of any suspicious persons, and sighed as I looked up at the star-spanned sky. It was a full moon tonight, and it was breathtakingly gorgeous in every aspect. Becoming lost in the magnificence of the night sky, I reminisced on my horrific nights back in North City. I'd wake up from my nightmares drenched with sweat, and always found it impossible to stop trembling. Looking up at the sky would help calm me down.

I was brought out of my thoughts by the sound of an officer blaring his whistle. I jerked towards the direction that it came from, and once again began leaping from building to building. Beneath me, I heard a loud splash, as if someone had ran through a puddle. Looking down into the dimly lighted alleyway, I saw a strange man with a long black coat and black hair pulled back into a ponytail sprinting down the alleyway. I smirked.

_I think this may be our guy. _I thought. _His appearance matches the description that Mustang gave me earlier. _

"There he goes, that way!" shouted one of the Military personnel of that area, proving me right. I monitored the situation from above as he continued to run. I was determined to remain undetected.

A pair of soldiers met him at the end of the alleyway, revolvers cocked and aimed. Ready to fire.

"You, halt! Halt, or I'll shoot!" the first one demanded firmly. But Freezer kept running. All of the sudden, with a whip of his arm, alchemic sparks began to flutter. Spikes of ice protruded from the ground, knocking the pair of soldiers over, and dissolving into water when Freezer had passed. I kept after him, right on his tail. I wanted my timing to be perfect. I'd pounce when I deemed it coherent.

Around the next corner, Freezer was met by yet another pair of Military personnel, waiting for him with their revolvers. But these two seemed a little more edgy than the first two had been. The officer pulled the trigger only seconds before Isaac had reached him, evading the bullet and thrusting his arm out of the way. In a flash of more dancing alchemic sparks, the man was frozen, and toppled to the ground, producing a sickening, glassy thud. The man behind gawked in horror as he looked on. He screamed in terror as Freezer seized his face into his palm and boiled his entire body. The stench was unbearable. I observed this scene, seething with disgust. It had been too late for me to intervene. This entire thing unfolded in less than a minute.

"Water freezes, water boils. Either way, you're just as dead." he remarked. I grinded my teeth.

_I can't let him hurt anyone else! It's time for me to take Freezer down. Now._

As soon as I was about to pounce, a spear was flung through the air, precisely aimed at Freezer. He eluded out of the way before the spear came in contact with him. It lodged itself into the ground. You could clearly see the alchemic sparks still emitting from it.

"What a nasty thing to do" said a boy's voice. I could make out his outline through the darkness, but I couldn't make out his face.

"You of all people should know that great deeds require great sacrifice," he grinned insanely, "Isn't that the law of Equivalent Exchange?"

_The nerve he has to lump in the laws of alchemy with homicide! _I thought, finding it almost embarrassing that _this _guy had been a former State Alchemist.

_He's a disgrace to all Alchemists._

"Save your breath. The laws of Alchemy don't justify murder!"

Fullmetal emerged from the darkness, and from the look on his face I could tell that he was just as disgusted as I was. He clapped his hands and took the spear back out of the ground, transmuting it into a club… with an epic fail picture of him on the end of it. Wait- transmutation without circles?

_So… I'm not the only one…_

My eyes widened as I remembered Alphonse, and the unnatural vacant tone that his voice held. The empty weight of his hand as he shook mine…

_Could those boys have committed the taboo…?_

By the time that I had come out of my suspicions, Al had appeared, and the three men had commenced in combat. When Edward swung at Freezer with his club, Freezer grabbed Edward's arm, and attempted to perform a transmutation. But the reaction only sent him flying onto the ground.

"No, I had you! Any water in there should've boiled!" Freezer exclaimed.

"If it's any consolation, you _did_ ruin my coat."

The force of the failed transmutation and torn the sleeve of Fullmetal's coat, revealing his automail arm.

"… An automail arm!" Freezer said, astonished at his discovery.

There wasn't any question about it anymore. Edward and Alphonse had committed the taboo, they attempted to perform Human Transmutation, and it failed. Resulting in Edward losing his arm and Alphonse losing his body… I knew this for sure.

Edward tore off his jacket and tossed it onto the ground. With the factors put into place, Freezer was able to discover Edward's identity, the Fullmetal Alchemist.

"So… it's not you?" Freezer asked, pointing towards Alphonse. Alphonse scratched the top of his helmet, and nervously replied,

"Uhm, no. I'm his younger brother, Alphonse."

I could tell that this sort of thing happened to the two brothers quite often, for self-explanatory reasons.

"But he's a runt." Freezer remarked, referring towards Fullmetal.

"OH YEAH? COULD A RUNT DO THIS?" he exploded, clapping his hands, smacking them onto the ground, and imprisoning Freezer within miscellaneous columns of concrete.

"I've heard the stories, but I never imagined _this. _The Fullmetal Alchemist is just a little kid?"

Edward fumed once more, slamming his hand onto the wall.

"Don't call me little!" he screamed, transmuting a hand that sent Freezer flying. I giggled, amused. For two reasons: 1) This scene in itself was utterly priceless, and 2) I'd just found out what makes Fullmetal tick. I shall use this to my advantage when conducting my revenge.

"Uhm, brother? I don't think he was talking about your height just now." Alphonse said. Edward flinched.

"WELL, EVEN IF HE WASN'T, HE STILL PISSED ME OFF!"

Fullmetal and his little bro had made this a lot easier for me. Much to my discontent, I hadn't had the chance to intervene earlier, but I had the chance to capture Freezer and hand him over to Mustang. Quickly, I finally leapt from the rooftop, landing and rolling gracefully to reduce the impact from the fall. I landed right in front of Edward and Alphonse, who gasped softly at my sudden entrance.

"What the hell?" I heard Fullmetal comment as I transmuted a pair of handcuffs and dashed over to Freezer, who still lay sprawled out on the ground. I pressed my knee into his spine to keep him restrained, and roughly pulled his arms behind his back. He grunted agitatedly. As I began to adjust the handcuffs around his wrists, more soldiers began to show up, ready to shoot if Freezer made any moves.

"Isaac McDougal," I began, "you've now been taken under custody of the Military." He just chuckled dryly as I yanked him up to his feet.

"I suggest that you proceed silently." I said firmly, beginning to lead him onward. The armed soldiers began to huddle around me.

"We'll take him out of your hands for you, miss." said one of them. I nodded, and handed him over.

"Make sure to notify Colonel Roy Mustang upon his capture."

"Yes ma'am." the soldier responded, saluting and heading off on his way with the others.

"And keep your eye on him." I warned. It was obvious that Freezer was one of those sneaky ones.

I heard the sound of metal colliding against concrete and turned around to face Alphonse running towards me.

"Vivienne! It's good to see you again." he said, stopping in front of me. I smiled and waved lightly.

"Hey Alphonse, nice to see you too."

"You know her, Al?" said Edward, approaching from behind.

"Well, not exactly. I met her in the hallway back at Central Command a little while ago."

I stepped towards Edward.

"Hello Fullmetal," I outstretched my hand, "I'm Vivienne. Vivienne Eden."

He took my hand in his.

"I'm Ed." he replied.

"We've met. You probably don't remember, but you massacred my face with a door earlier today."

He let go of my hand and scratched the back of his head confoundedly.

"I did what now?"

"Remember when you stormed out of the Colonel's office earlier?" Alphonse began, "You accidentally hit her on the way out. She was on the ground."

Edward blinked, dumbfounded. He seemed to take notice of my red, injured nostrils.

"Wow, guess I didn't notice. Sorry about that." he apologized. I shrugged.

"Just watch your back from now on." I replied bluntly.

"Wha-"

All of the sudden, the entire alleyway was engulfed with a warm, suffocating steam. Edward and I automatically started choking. What the hell was going on?

"*cough* Ugh, what is that? Steam?" Edward choked out.

Normally, I would've made a sarcastic remark. Seeing that it was obvious that this substance, indeed, _was_ steam. But I was only thinking about one thing at the moment.

_...Freezer!_

I dashed over to the direction that the soldiers were headed with Freezer. When the steam faded entirely, I spotted the handcuffs on the ground, along with three bewildered Military personnel. Freezer was no where to be found.

"What the _HELL!_ I thought you guys were watching him!" I yelled.

"We-we don't know what happened! We're sorry!"

"DAMN IT, NOW HE _REALLY _PISSED ME OFF!" I heard Edward yell from behind.

I roughly smacked my hand to my face, frustrated, causing the bridge of my wounded nose to sting violently. I ran my fingertips up my forehead and through my bangs. Letting out an irritated sigh, I turned to face Ed and his brother.

"I guess we don't have any choice but to let the Colonel know what happened."

Ed scoffed at that remark.

* * *

><p>This had actually been a little longer, but I decided to cut it here. Mainly because I wanted to edit this certain part, and because I wanted to go ahead and update the story. Also, it's 12:30am, and I have to wake up for High School in 4 and 12 hours. I'll update soon! Hope you enjoyed. I promise my writing will continue to improve, that's one of my main goals.


	3. NOTICE!

I'm pretty sure I'm going to piss a lot of people off with this.

Ha, don't worry, I'm not going to discontinue the story, if that's what you thought.

No, I want to _completely_ rewrite this story** for its own sake**. I found that it was going down that same, typical path that most people do with Ed/OC stories. The OC takes the State Alchemy exam and passes with flying colors. Then, Ed and the OC meet, and sooner or later, Roy pairs them together. I find this scenario to be extremely common among Ed/OC fics. And also downright**_ tedious_**. I don't want to write my story in a typical demeanor- I want to write it in such a way that it is unique from others that I have come across. I apologize for this inconvenience, but I don't want to write a predictable, failure of a story. If I'm going to do this, then I'm going to do it correctly. So I'm going to spend a little more time on this, completely rewrite it, and then try posting it again.

Until then, I guess I'll see you all later.

Thank you to those of you who have been reading my story up until now, I appreciate it. I'll come back with something even greater next time.

**Guaranteed.**

See ya.


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